An-Najah News - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency to fight coronavirus infections in major population centres and rolled out a nearly $1 trillion stimulus package to soften the economic blow.

Abe said in a conference“It is no exaggeration to say that Japan’s economy, and the world economy, is facing the biggest crisis since postwar right now. We will protect the employment and life at all costs,”

he added by reducing contact between people by 70% to 80%, the government hoped infections would peak in two weeks.

Abe emphasised that the latest declaration was not a strict lockdown, as most banks, supermarkets and trains will operate as usual and people can go outdoors.

“We are asking citizens to buy only what they need when they need it, as there is sufficient food supply and no suspension is planned at food factories,” he told reporters earlier.

The latest declaration of emergency gives governors the authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close. But with no penalties for ignoring the requests in most cases, enforcement will rely more on peer pressure and respect for authority.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike also sought to reassure residents that there would be no restrictions on buying groceries and medicine. But she pleaded that they stay at home as much as they could.